New to audacity new to VO. I was wondering if I could post a short clip that I’ve applied just the normalize function on?
I would love any general feedback, like “OK you know your voice is basically deep so stay away from these edits lean towards these ones etcetera”. I get the editing/EQ process is a lot of fine onion layers and you can just go deeper and deeper. At this stage just hoping for a little basic direction as I get into it.
Again, thanks for any replies/suggestions, happy Friday.
This is new forum software and it’s a little fuzzy what works and what doesn’t. The old software used to wait for a certain number of posts. I think If you get that symbol in the tools, it should work.
Raw recording - Super appreciate anyone who’s willing to chime in with general feedback as I get into the editing part of this world. Trust me I’m new to it so any information is gonna help me a ton.
Adobe enhance is (currently) a free service.
It fixes problems like room-reverb & excessive- sibilance using AI.
before-after.
Audcaity does not have any native tools to reduce reverb,
& IMO Audacity’s native compressor is no use for speech.
Cool. So that’s basics. Nice voice and no obvious problems. Now do one with your projected recording environment. Use this general format and read it like you’re trying to sell us something or tell a story.
You may find that connecting a microphone to a computer will suddenly give you lists of distortions, unwanted effects, and oddball problems. Most forum postings have to do with things the computer is doing to a performer’s voice. “Why do I sound like talking into a wine glass?”
It can get so bad (how bad can it get?) it can get so bad that I recommend recording on your phone or stand-alone sound recorder in a quiet, echo-free room.
It’s good you have a clean Mac model of voice capture now. My Mac works pretty well, too.
Do you have a projected job? Someone is going to write me big checks if I announce — what? Do you have an announcer you like?
There is a YouTube presenter who has terrific visuals and consistent, accurate information, but I can’t watch him because he sounds like he’s recording badly in a bathroom.
MacBook Air (Monterey, 12.6.6), Fifine T669, Aud 3.3.2. Small closet, about 50% coverage (ceiling, and front + both sides, top to halfway down) w 1" acoustic panels. #1 read
is Vit D. #2 has a lil extra cream. They both ran over a bit, sorry - tight space, trying to juggle Mac, mic, etc.
You should check that you’re not recording from the computer’s in-built microphone. If you gently tap the external mic, then the computer, then review the recording, it will become apparent which you are recording from.
Thanks Trebor: meaning - even if I have my Fifine mic selected in Aud Audio Set up, the MacBook could still be using its mic to run input through that, as well?
Sorry, I know thing can get lost in translation in e-comms…the single clip I posted above was me speaking at/into my MacBook, in my office - yes, from a foot away lol. The 2 clips I posted this a.m., via mic in a controlled space.
The 2 “Catskill farms” ones sound to me like you’re recording from the wrong mic. If you gently tap the mic you’re actually recording from, the sound of that tap-noise will be very loud on the recording.
Awesome - totally new here, so any feedback is appreciated. Clip attached. Audacity set up says it reads my USB mic, on MacBook in system prefs, its says input is my USB mic and the input volume is at about, 3/4. The sound meter on Audacity when I spoke kind of jumped a bit below/above -12. Oh, you’ll hear that I tapped the mic during the recording.
Isn’t this fun? Have you laid in a good supply of coffee?
Never, ever blow into a microphone, but you can scratch each one to see which is active.
It’s a terrificly good idea to know where your microphones are. The microphone(s) on my Mac Air are two pin-pricks just left of the CAPS LOCK and SHIFT keys.
As a fuzzy rule, you should be about a Hawaiian Shaka away from the microphone during the performance.
Closer than that and you run the risk of popping your P sounds and recording breath and mouth noises. Further away and your voice will be lower volume and weak for no reason and you may have background noise problems.
Adobe Enhance
This has been ringing bells. Are you a member of the Adobe Product Subscription Family? Since “Enhance” promises to be an insanely handy product, I guarantee it will not remain free for long. They know what they have.
Once they have you by the, let’s say “elbow,” you will find it very difficult or impossible to work without your subscription fees. Further, you will find a supervisory Pilot product added to your machine so you can’t “steal” anything. The Pilot hangs around after you terminate your subscriptions.
Can you tell I’m not a fan?
Oh, I’m not done. AI software works by becoming accustomed to your voice, and its presentation. After a while it will be so accustomed, it won’t need you any more.
Quote of the day (so far). Far as I can tell… on the 2 Catskill clips I posted, it’s only the Fifine mic picking up audio? Macbook sound has my USB/Fifine mic as its input, ditto audacity.
Does your microphone have provision to plug in headphones? That’s very highly recommended because of the ability to customize the performance as you go in real time rather than trying to “clean it up” later.
No, you can’t plug into the Mac. The Mac headphone connection comes from Audacity Playthrough and comes withwith aa delaydelay/echoecho.
